Elderly think better, sleep better when they’re active

• More than half of adults over the age of 65 have trouble sleeping, characterized by both lighter sleep and frequent awakenings during the night.
• A decline in cognitive function is common with advanced age, and research has shown that disturbed sleep in younger adults and in the elderly causes daytime sleepiness and negatively affects cognitive performance.
• Now, a study by sleep researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine suggests that even short-term exposure to either morning or evening social and physical activity improves cognitive performance and subjective sleep quality in the elderly.
• The study, by Susan Benloucif, Phyllis Zee, M.D., and colleagues is described in an article in the Dec. 15 issue of the journal Sleep.
• Benloucif is associate professor and Zee is professor in the Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences at Feinberg.
• "Many of the health changes associated with aging, including the decline in sleep and cognitive abilities, can be attributed to sedentary lifestyles and social disengagement among older individuals," Benloucif said.
• Twelve older men and women (between 67 and 86 years) living in retirement facilities and residential apartments participated in the pilot study at Northwestern.
• The study consisted of a daily 90-minute session over a 14-day period that included 30 minutes of mild physical activity, 30 minutes of social interaction and a final 30 minutes of mild to moderate physical activity.
• Sessions began with warm-up stretching and mild to moderate physical activity (walking, stationary upper and lower body exercises), followed by seated social interaction (talking while playing board or card games).
• Participants maintained daily sleep diaries in which bedtime, wake-up time, estimated total sleep time, naps, etc., were recorded.
• Daily activity recordings were obtained via wrist monitors to verify sleep periods.